Valve-operating mechanism.



T. W. KEEN.

VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1912.

INVENTOR V W/z aa @WMM Patented Feb. 18,1913.

' UNITED sTATEs To all whom it may concern THOMAS w. KEEN,-OF swissvaLn,rENNsYLvANiA.

VALVE-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18,1913.

Applicationfiled April 6, 1912. Serial No. 688,957.

- -Be it known that I, THOMAS W. KEEN, a citizen-of the United States,residing at Swissvale, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented cer- 'tain, new and useful Improvementsin.Valve-. Operating Mechanisms, of which the following is aspecification.

My II IVGIItIO-II pertalns to the construction and arrangement of enginevalve operating mechanism, and, while not restricted to such userelatesmore particularly to the mechanism used in actuating the inletand exhaust outlet valves on the extremely large type of internalcombustion engines employing blast furnace gases as fuel.

The invention is'designed to provide an "engine valve operatingmechanism having iniproved means whereby the valves are positivelyactuated in opening and closing the inlet and the exhaust outlet portsof the engine, and by which the valves are positively held in closedposition or position of theyalves during the major portion of thereciprocating movements of the engine piston. I I

Another object of the lnventlon 1s to provide a valve operatingmechanism.having novel means whereby the large, heavy valves are counterbalanced,by which accelerated movement of the valves due to the weight of theextremely heavy valves and movement against pressure of thegases in theengine stems caused by expansion when in use and variations caused bywear of the moving parts is effected, the presence of lost motion .in'the valve operating gear is avoided and prevented and"p'roper timing ofthe: valves" 'l.l01" 16 L- opening and closing isolitained.

. I Referring to the accom 'ianying drawings 1 forming part of thisspecification, lfigurc :1' isa sectional end elevation of a horizontal,,fo urcycle, double-acting internalconduitsition engine havinga valveoperating inechaf .n'ism thereon constructed mid "arranged inlaccordance'with my invention. Fig. :2 isa;

detail side elevation showing a ink'nli lication in the constructionot-the valve operating mechanism also made 111 accordance with thisinvention. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on a larger scale, thesection being taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1, showing a detail ofthe valve operating mechanism and the means employed in adjusting thevalve operating mechanism relative to the valves. Fig. 4 is a detailplan, on an enlarged scale, showing the construction of the bearingsupport and swivel bearing for the reach rods forming part of the valveoperating mechanlsm.

PATE T OFFICE.

In the drawings the numeral 2 designates a Water-jacketed gas enginecylinder having an inlet port 3 and an exhaust outlet port 4,

one of such ports being located at each end of the cylinders ofdouble-acting engines like that shown. In a single acting engine onlyone inlet and one outlet port will be necessary. An inlet valve 5 and anexhaust outlet valve 6 removably secured in the inlet and outlet portsengage with the valve seats 7 and 8 also removably mounted in the ports3 and 4. The cylinder 2 is also provided with openings or holes 9, and10 in which the ignition or spark plugs for the engine are mounted, andthe hole or opening 11 into the cylinder 2 provides for the at-.

tachment thereto of the cooks of an engine indicator, the opening 12serving to make a suitable connection to the conduit of an air startingdevice.

The inlet valve seat 7 is connected by the spider 13 with the sleeve 14through which the inlet valve. stem 15 extends, the spider and sleevebeing located within the mixing chamber 16 which is formed of a tubularshell 17 projecting downwardly into the casing 18. The shell 18 in thecasing 18 is provided with a series of openings 19 and,

openings 20 which are arranged-do register respectively with similaropenings 21 and 22 in the shell 17 in forming gas ports and air portsconnecting the interior of the annular gas chamber 23*andv air fchamber=24 in'the casing 18 with: the central mix-ing" cham- The tubular shell17 is arranged to rotate or oscillate within'the shell '18 in the;cas

ing '18 to vary the size "ofthe' inlet-ports'= formed-by the openings19, 21"and"20-,- 22, thc jclosed outer end 25 of the shell-17'beingprovided with an arm 26 by which the-shell lTis c-onnected to andoperated by the' engine governor- (not sho\vn) to "vary *the'size: of

the air and gas ports to the mixing chamber 16 in regulating the speedof the engine.

The head has an inward extension thereon which is bored to form a dashpot cylinder 27 and the inlet valve stem 15 and the vertical grooves29in the inner wall of the cylinder, at its upper end, provide means forthe free admission of air therein-' to on the lower side of the piston28 when the inlet valve .5 isin its closed position, (the valve beinglifted when moving into its closing position): hen the piston 28,v

in the opening movement of the inlet valve, travels past the lowerend'of the grooves or slots29 the air is confinedwithin the cylinder27.and, by further downward movement of the piston 28, is compressedtherein,

- the exhaust outlet.

the size of the-cylinder being proportioned so as to compress the airadmitted therein to an extent sufiicient to counterbalance the weight ofthe inlet valve 5 and its stem 15.

The exhaust outlet valve 6 has a hollow stem portion 30 which extendsoutwardly through the head 31 on the hollow. watercooled exhaust outletchamber 32, this chamher having a side outlet 33' by which the exhaustpipe 34 isconnected to the cylinder 2. lhe inner endof'the chamber 32,which is located on the engine cylinder 2-to cover the exhaustoutletopening .4 therein, is preferably constructed to form an integral seat'Sfor the exhaust outlet valve 6.

The valve operating mechanism will now be described and the operating.mechanism for the inlet and the exhaust valves being of similarconstruction, the same reference numerals will be used for like partsthereof.

The outer end of the inlet valve stem 15 and also the outer end of theexhaust valve stem 30 is pivoted by a pin 36 to a swinging lever or arm37 and one end of each arm 37 is pivotally' connected by a pin 38 to oneend of short links 39, 39 located on each side of each of the arms 37.The other end of the. links 39 are pivoted by apin 40 to and between theears or lugs 41 on movable bases or supports 42, these bases beingadjustably mounted on the outer end of the valve cas' ing 18, and on theexhaust chamber 32 for The bases 42 are secured in position on thecylinder by cap bolts or studs 43 (see Fig. 3) and a wedge 4st, be tweenthe base 42 and the cylinder' is employed'to adjust the base 42- asrequired in bringing the valves into seating position after regrindingor renewal of the valves or the valve seats. Nuts 45, 45 on the twobolts 46 which form part of t-he'wedges 44 and which project throughholes or slots in the lugs 47 of the filler blocks 48 located on theenddfthe casing 18 and the chamber purpose.

32 provide means for adjusting and securing the wedges 44 in adjustedposition. Al so formed integrally on the upper face of the base 42'arestandards or posts 49, 49 having slots in the ends thereof for bearings56 which are held in position therein by set screws 51. Liners or shimplates, 52, 52 in "the slots on each of opposite sides of the the enginecylinder 2.

Mounted in each set of bearings 50, 50 1s a. pivot pin '53 to which oneend of a bent wiping arm 54 is secured. The outer'end of the bent wipingarms. 54 which engage with and serve'to positively move the arms 37, 37in actuating the valves in their open- 'ig' movement, are pivoted by apin 55 to one end of a" reciprocating reach rod 56 :which extendsthrough and is supported by 'a'swivel bearmg 57 (see Fig. 4,) pivotallyImounted on a bracket 58, secured on one side of the casing 18and thechamber 32 for that The other endof the reach rods .56 are connected bythe lengthwiseadjustable eccentric rods 59 to the strap of the eccentric60 on the lay shaft 61 of the en-' in the gine. At an intermediate pointlength of the reach rod 56 one end of an arm 62 is .pivotally connectedand the opposite end of this arm is bifurcatedandis provided with a pin63 on which a series of three anti! friction rollers 64, 64, 64 aremounted. In the operating mechanism for the inlet valve extend betweenthe lugs brears 41 ,and 49,

on the upper face of the bases 42. In the upper face of the slides 65.,65, at one end thereof, is a recess or depression 66' into I which theoutside rollers 64, 64 enter at'one end of their travel and'when thevalves are in their open position. On the exhaustvalve operatingmechanism the middle one of the rollers 64 engages the uppei-faceof themiddle rollers 64, mounted in the slots in the bifurcated ends oftherods 62 are an the arm 37, and the outside rollers 64 ride upon thelower face of the slides 65.

The arm 37 connectedto thewstem 30 of the exhaust valve 6 has an outwardextension 3'7 which projects beyond the valve stem and loosely engageswith oneend of the piston rod 67 for the piston 68inthe balancingcylinder'69. This cylinder whiclris located adjacent to the exhaustvalve chamber is connected at one end by the pipe 7 0 with the interiorof the gas engine cylinder 2. The

piston therefor has a very short stroke,-or a stroke just sufficient toslightly open the exhaust, valve 6. The head 71 on the cylinder cylinder69.

has an inwardly extending hub or projection '72 through which the pistonrod 67 extends and the inner end of this projection 72 limits theoutward movement of the piston in the The piston 68 is caused tomove-through its backward stroke by means of the helical spring 73engaging with the cylinder head and with one face of the .piston.

Split rings are provided in the piston (38 to insure a tight joint andthe cylinder head 71 is connected bysa pipe 74 to the exhaustpipe 3% ofthe engine to lead into the exhaust pipe any gases escaping past thepiS- ton and prevent the accumulation of burned gases and the formationof pressure on the rear side of the piston (38. of the cylinder 69 isproportioned so that it will exert a pressure on the end 37 of the lever37 connected to the exhaust valve 6 suificientto counterbalance theupwardly lifting valve and the moving parts connected therewith in theoperation of the engine, in this way very much lessening the work doneby the valve operating mechanism con nected to the engine lay shaft.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 2 instead of using the fixedslides 65 to engage the outer anti-friction rollers 64, slides 65* arepivoted by one end to the lugs or ears 41 on the bases 42 and theopposite end of the slides 65 is engaged by a helical spring 75 whichlifts the free end thereof into engagement with the anti-frictionrollers so as to hold these rollers in contact with the lower face ofthe levers or arms 37. The construction of the valve operating mechanismof Fig. 2 otherwise is the same as has before been described.

In the operation of my improved valve actuating nechanism the engine isstarted preferably by means of compressed air supplied to the cylinder 2through the inlet 12 which is connected to a source of air underpressure. Vhenin this or other desired manner the engine is started thelay shaft (51 is caused to rotate and the eccentric 60, through theconnections to the bent wiping arms 54-, opens one and closes the otherof the valves and 6, the inletand exhaustvalves being alternately movedinto open position, the eccentric 60, through the arms 62', positivelymoving the valves in their closing movement. On the return 'or closingmovement of the valves, the rollers (54. on the end of the arms 62 whichroll along the faces of the slides 65 on the base 42, by engagement-withthe inner face of the arm 37 causes a positive movement of the valvesinto closing position. Prior to starting the engine, the wedges it areadjusted to bring the valves 5 and 6 into close engagement with thevalve seats 7 and 8. and after the engine'has operated for suflicienttime to become thoroughly heated any adjustment The diameter foundnecessary, owing to increase in the length of the valve stems'lfi or 30in becoming heated, ismade by shifting the liners-52 from one side tothe other of the bearings 50 located in the slots in one endof the lugsor cars 49 on the base 42 and in this way lost motion in the valveoperating mechanism avoided and overcome.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart. By the novel arrangement of levers and arms connecting the valveswith the eccentric, the length of the levers is greatly reduced, thedesired quic.k'o ')ening and clcsing movement of the valves is obtainedand the valves are held in closed position for the desired length oftime during each stroke of the engine piston. The weight'of the valves 5and 6 and the resistance to the opening movement of the exhaust valve 6,caused by the pressure in the cylinder 2 is counterbalanced by means ofthe dash pot cylinders operatively connected to the stems of thesevalves. The wiping arm ot is arranged to move the levers 37 withouthammering or knocking and by means of the adjusting mechanism used, lostmotion. in the valve operating mechanism is prevented and overcome. Viththe mechanism for operating the valves as constructed in accordance withthis invention the valves are positively moved through the opening andclosing movements thereof and the valves are held positively in theirclosed position, (in which position the valves remain during the majorportion of the stroke of the engine piston);

I claim 1. In an explosive engine, a valve operating mechanismcomprising a swinging arm to which the valve is pivoted, a wiping armposition, means for actuating said arms, and

means on which the wiping arm and the rollers of said pivoted arm aremounted, said means being movable on the engine to adjust th arms amlvalve relative to the seat therefor.

2. In an explosive engine, a valve operating mechanism comprising an armsupport adjustably mounted on said "engine, a swing 'ing arm pivoted tothe support and to a valve on the engine, a wiping arm pivoted to thesupport and arranged to engage the swinging arm to positively move thevalve in one direct on, a piyoted arm having means engaging the supportand the swinging arm tomove the valve in the opposite direction, meansfor adjusting the support on the engine, and means connected to thewiping arm and the pivoted arm for actuatilng said arms in opening andclosing said va ve.

3. In an explosive engine, a valve operating mechanism comprisingswinging arms to which the engine valves are pivoted, wiping arms formoving the swinging arms in opening the valves, pivoted arms for inovingthe swinging arms to close said valves, means for actuating said arms topositively move the valves in opening and closing, and means secured tothe engine on which said arms are mounted, said means being mov-- ableon the engine to adjust the arms and valves, relative to the seatsforsaid valves. 4. In an explosive engine, a valve operating mechanismcomprising a swinging arm to which the valve is pivoted, a wiping armengaging the swinging arm to positively move the valveintoopenpo'sition, a pivoted arm having rollers engaging the swinging arm topositively move the valve into closed position, means'for actuatingsaidarms, a support on which said arms are mounted and means for adjustingthe wiping arm relativeto the support and swinging rm.

5. In, an explosive engine a puppet valve to close the exhaustoutletportand mechanismfor positively actuating-said valve in openingand closing, said mechanism hav ing means connected with the interiorofthe engine cylinder whereby the valve is balanced inopening.

In an explosive engine havingan inlet and an exhaust outlet port, andvalves to close said ports, a valve operating mechanism comprising meansto positively move said valves in opening and olosing,' and dashpotcylinders operatively connected thereto whereby the valves are balancedand cushioned in moving out of seated position.

7. In an explosive engine having an'inlet port and avalve to close saidport, a valve operating mechanism comprising means to positively movesaid valve in opening and closing, a piston on the rod of said valve anda dashpot cylinder operatively connected with the piston whereby thevalve is cushioned in moving out of seated position.

8. In an explosive engine having an exhaust outlet port and a valve toclose "said port, a valve operating mechanism'comprising means topositively move said valve in opening and closing, and a fluid pressurecylinder operatively engaging therewith whereby the valve is balanced inthe opening movement thereof. 7

In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS KEEN. Witnesses:

T. E. KENNEY, P JAMES HULL.

